Paris is a magnificent city bursting with things to see and do. There are so many monuments, activities, events, shops, etc. that you won't know where to turn during your stay! That's why we've put together the Urban Bivouac Paris City Guide, to help you discover our magnificent city.

We've put together a guide full of tips, good ideas and useful addresses to help you discover lots of things in our district and, more generally, in Paris. This guide will also give you lots of tips on how to navigate this lively city.

The National Library of France

The National Library of France

Categories : City Guide, published on : 2/13/25

The National Library of France, the largest in the country, is located in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, along the Seine. It is sometimes called the “François Mitterrand Library” in memory of the president who founded it, and locally known and called the “BNF”. The library holds the largest collection of books in France, and is also one of the most important in the world.

Inside its 4 towers, you can find some literary masterpieces. For example, the royal collections, started by Charles V and then Louis XIV, made up of books, some of which were written toward the end of the Middle Ages. In total, about 14,000,000,000 books and documents are archived there. Not to mention the approximately 250,000 manuscripts, millions of magazines, but also photographs, coins, multimedia documents, landscapes, and other prints. Altogether, this represents nearly 30 million documents!

4 modern towers designed by Dominique Perrault, the architecture of the library is impressive. On the François Mauriac quay (left bank), a large wooden esplanade (Ipe from Brazil, a durable, non-rotting wood) extends, accessible to everyone. Here stand 4 imposing towers, 80 meters high, each symbolizing four open books facing each other. Each of the towers has 18 floors, 11 of which are reserved for “preservation” (about 800 km of storage!) and 7 for offices. Each tower has a specific theme: The Tower of Time: philosophy, history, and humanities; The Tower of Arts: art and literature; The Tower of Laws: law, economy, and politics; The Tower of Figures: science and technology. At their feet, there is a large 2.5-acre garden full of trees. Unfortunately, it is not open to the public, but it can be seen from some reading rooms.

The National Library of France, a cultural hub, also presents several exhibitions each year in its two galleries and organizes many other cultural events such as concerts and conferences.

Getting to the Library

François-Mitterrand Library
François Mauriac Quay, 75706 Paris Cedex 13
Phone: +33(0)1 53 79 59 59

Bus

Lines 25, 62, 64, 71, 89, 132, 325

Metro

Line 6 (quai de la gare), 14 (François Mitterrand Library), RER C (François-Mitterrand Library)

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